Floor clamp



Patented Nov. 3, 1925.

CECIL W. BARTO, 0F PORT ANGELES, VJASHINGTON.

FLOOR CLAMP.

Application led .Tune 2, 1925.

To all 1li/10mi! may conce/in Be it known that l, Cnoin W. BAn'ro, a citizen ot the United States, resi ding` at Port Angeles, in the county ot Clallani and State of lvashington, have invented certain new and useful Vlniprovernents in Floor tlanips, ot whirh the tollowingr is a speritiration,

This invention relates to a floor rlamp, and has for its objet-t to provide, in a manner as hereinat'ter set torth,r a toot operated device ot such class, with means tor 'orci 1' Flooring; boards in closelyY abutting;- relation and for holding them in such position while hey are being secured in place wi hout breaking or otherwise damaging the boards and further orming a ver); close seam between the boards.

Further obvieets ot' the invention are to provide, in a manner hereinafter set iiorth, a iioor clamp tor the purpose referred to, which is simple in its construction, strong, durable, compact, light` in weight, envenientl)v l'nisitioned and anrhored, thoroopghljy etieient, in its use, and inexpensive to manutarture.

v'Vith the foregoingy and other obbiects in view, the invention consists of the novel construction. combination and arrangement ot parts, as hereinafter more speciiically described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein is shown an embodiment ot' the invention, but it to be understood that changes. variations and modii'ieations run be resorted to which come within the srope et' the elaiuis hereunto appondrd.

ln the drawings wherein like reference eharaeters denote correspondingparts throughout the several views z- Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional vier1 ot a loor clamp, in accordance with this invention, and showinga the adaptation thereof with respect to a tloor formed troni boards ot the tongue and lroove type.

Figure 2 is a sectional plan ol the define arranged in operative position.

Figure 3 is an inverted plan, partly in se@ tion.

Figure t is a section on line -t t, Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a side elevation ot' the device,

Referring to the drawings in detail, l denotes a subfloor upon which is laid the floor 2, the latter being formed from boards 3 of the tongue and groove type.

A tloor clamp, in accordance with this invention, comprises a rectangular base plate l oi the desired length and Width, and havseriali No. 34,404.

slidably mounted thereon is a square clampnw member i' havlng its working edge formed with a Ireaive S Ytor the reception of the tongue Si ot a board 2l. rl`he Clamping` member T is provided with an opening 10. into which exten-fis the guide tongue (l.

(onnerted to the base plate 4f and incliningf towards the clamping, member i is a ehannelfslniped standard formed ol a pair of spaced side members 11, 12, and a Yiront member whieli terminates at a point below the upper ends of the side members 11 and l2. (lonneeted to the base plate 4 and spared trom the rlntiinel--shaped standard is a pair ot opposed, spaced, vertical supports 14, 15, which incline towards the clamping ielnber T and are ot loss height than the side members l1, 12 oi the channel-shaped standard. The members 14, '15 are connected together by a brat-e piece 15. Extending into the upper end ot the Channel-shaped standard and between the upper ends ot the supports 14, 1:3, is a crosz--iliead 1G ot arcuate rontour. @ne end of the 'rosshead 1G is bi- ;'urrated, as at lli", and its other end bifurrated, as at 1B. he bii'urrated end li ot the erosshcad 16 is arranged in the upper end ot the channel-shaped --,tandard and is Connected therewith b v a bolt 19. provided xvith a Cotter pin 2t). 'l`he bitureated end le?. oi thtl erosshead lt positioned between the upper ends oi" the supports 14, 15 and is connected therewith bv a bolt provided with a eotter pin 2Q.

The rlninnebsiiapod standard, supports 14, Yl5 and crosshead 1G provide an inclined. inverted voire-shaped element constituting a support tor the shitting' mechanism for the clamping' member Y, and further provide a handle for conveniently positioning the device when desired. The bolt 19 'forms a pivot for a bell crank lever to be presently referred to, and the bolt 21 terms a pivot for a tread lever to be presently referred to.

The bell crank lever is indicated by the reference character 23 and extends into the bifurcated end 17 of the cross-head 16 and projects towards the supports 14 and 15, and is pivoted on the bolt 19. The bell crank lever 23 is formed with an upper arm 24 and a lower arm 25, and with the latter of greater length than the former. The arm 25, when the bell crank lever is in normal position, extends in close proximity' to the base plate 4.

Extending through the biturcated end 1S of the cross-head 16 is a foot operated lever 26, pivcted intermediate its ends on the holt 21, and havino its outer end provided with a toot tread 2i and its inner end bifurcated` as at QS. Extending into the bi't'ui'cated cud 28 of the lever 26 is the arm 24 ot' the bell crank 23, and the said bifurcated end L't and arm 211 are pivotally connected together by a bolt 29 provided with a cotter pin 8).

Connected to the clamping member and extending between the supports 14 and Ylo is a shifting bar 3l for the clamping niembcr i". The bar ill projects inwardly from the supports let and 15 and has a bifurcated inner end 32, into which extends the lower end of the arm 25 of the bell crank '23. 'the bifurcated end 32 of the bar 3l. and the lower end ot the arm 25 ot the bell crank lever 23 are pivotallv connected by a holt i352, provided with a` Cotter pin 31-,

The bell crank lever is spring eontrolled, and the controllingl spring therefor is indicated at 35. One end ot the spring Il?) is connected to the front member 1S, as at 3o, and its other end is connected to the arm Q5, as at 3T. The spring 35 normally maintains the bell crank 23, lever Q6 and bar 31 in the dotted line position, as indicated in Figure 1. The full line position ot said elements, as shown in Figure 1, is when the foot lever Q6 has been depressed by the foot 3&5 tor the purpose ot' having the clamping member 7 force a iioor board 3 in abutting relation with respect to an adjacent tloor board. lVhen the lever 2G relieved from pressure, the spring 35 restores the bell crank lever Q23, lever 2G and bar 31 to the dotted line position shown in Figure 1.

lllhcn using the device, it is placed adjacent to a fioor hoard, which is to be forced in abutting relation With respect to a secured tloor board, and b v pressingl do\.vnyvardly on the Jfoot lever 26 the floor board is forced to abutting relation to a secured floor board, as illustrated in Figure l.

'hcn the foot lever 26 is depressed, the bell crank lever 23 is shifted on its pivot, Whereby the arm 24: thereof is moved upwardly and the arm 25 forwardly, under such conditions forcing the bar 31 in a direction to shift the clamping member 7 to the position shown in Figure 1.

lVhat I claim is 1. A floor clamp comprising a base plate, an inverted yoke-shaped element carried thereby, a clamping member, a shifting bar therefor, and operating means for said bar, said means including a bell crank pivotally connected to said element and a shitting lever tor the bell crank pivotally connected to said element and to one of the arms ol said lever.

2. A floor clamp comprising a base plate, an inverted yoke-shaped element carried thereby, a claniiping member, a shifting bar therefor, operating means for said bar, said means including a bell crank pivotally connected to said element and a shitting lever for the bell crank pivotally connected to said element and to one of the arms of said lever, and a guide carried by said base plate tor said clamping member.

I3. )i ltoor clamp comprising a base plate, an inverted yoke-shaped element carried thereby, a clamping member, a shifting bar therefor, operating means for said bar, said means including` a bell crank pivotally connected to said element and a shifting lever tor the bell crank pivotally connected to said element and to one of the arms of said lever, and a controlling spring for said bell crank, said spring being connected to said element and to one of the arms ot the hell crank.

4. A loor clamp comprising a base plate, an inverted yoke-shaped element carried thereby, a clamping member, a shifting bar there for, operating means for said bar, said means including a bell crank pivotally connected to said element and a shifting lever for the bell crank pivotally connected to said element and to one of the arms ot said lever, a guide carried by said base plate` tor said clamping member, and :i controlling spring for said bell crank, said spring being connected to said element and to one ot the arms of the bell crank.

In testimony whereof, l a'llix my signature hereto.

CECIL 1V. BART() lll) lll() lllS 

